Spring structure.



C. H. GAIL.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2:. 1916.

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CHARLES H. GAIL, 0F DAYTON, OHIO.

fiPRINGI- STRUCTURE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, aura.

Application filed. October 25, 1916. Serial No. 127,521.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Crmnnns H. GAIL,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Uhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention concerns spring structures, such for example, as those used on bedsteads, and in automobile cushions, and the like, the prime object of the invention being to so unite or tie together the upper coils of the main, upright, spiral-springs that the latter may perform their cushioning functions at maximum advantage. To attain this purpose, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the top coils or rings of the vertically-arranged spiral-springs are connected together solely by short helicalsprings whose ends are bent around or cooperate with crimped or od'set portions of the coils to obtain the necessary attachment of the parts in such a way that the helicalsprings cannot slide or shift out of place or cause objectionable squeaking or other noise.

A structure of this kind, free from securing or clamping clips, tie-wires, or similar appliances, is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, efl'ective in action, and unlikely to become damaged in service,the main supporting spiral-springs having adequate freedom of individualmovement to render the structure unusually resilient, but nevertheless, suficiently well tied together or connected to prevent displacement of the springs or tipping out of position.

lln order that those skilled in this art may have a full and complete understanding of the structural and functional advantages of a spring-structure embodying this invention, I have illustrated a desirable construction of this character in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and throughout the various views of which like reference characters refer to the same parts. 1

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of such a spring structure;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view illustrating the manner of attachlng one end of one of the helical-springs to the top-coil or ring of one of the upright spiral-springs.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

' Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of a somewhat modified construction, Fig. 5 being a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4:;

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of still a further modified structure, Fig. 7 being a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a somewhat simllar construction employing flat or zig-zag connecting springs.

The appliance includes, as is usual, a number of suitably-supported upright or vertical spiral-springs 10, 10, arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows with their top-coils or end-wire-rings 11, 11, in the same plane, these coils being spaced apart from one another short distances, as is customary, and as is illustrated in Fig. 1. Each of these wire-coils 11, at its points nearest to its companion springs is provided with downward crimps or bends 12, (Figs. 2 and 3), and each top-coil is connected to its neighboring coils by short helical-springs 13, 13, the-axes of which are horizontal or in the plane of the top-coils 11 and disposed at right-angles to one'another, as is clearly illustrated.

Each end of each of these uniting or oining springs 13 is fastened to the associated coil 11 by having the end-portion 14: of the wire of which it is composed extend across the outer face of the bend or crimp 12, the wire then passing beneath the coil 11 at 15 and across the inner-face of the crimp at 16, then under the coil 11 at the opposite side of the crimp at 17, then beneath the wire 14 at 18, and through the crimped portion 12, terminating at 19 beneath the portion 16, so that the end of the wire is covered and protected as will be readily understood from the illustration. In this way, the ends of these springs are securely and properlyfastened to the top coils of the spiral springs in association with their crimped parts so as to prevent detachment and the sliding or shifting of the helical-springs on the rings, as will be seen from the illustration.

llt should be observed that this appliance employs no other parts than the helicalsprings for connecting the spiral springs together, that is to say, it uses no clamps, clips, tie-wires, or similar devices, and because of such omission the spring-structure possesses unusual resiliency and cushioning capabilities,

In Figs. i and 5 a slightly diii'erent structure is shown. In this case the wire of the helical connecting spring passes beneath the wire of the end-coil of the spiral-spring at 20 at one side of the crimped part 12, then through the gap provided by such crimp, and around the other ortion of the wire forming the crimp in t e reverse direction at 21, the wire then passing a second time through thegap of the crimp beneath the first-mentioned portion and terminating at 22, thus covering the end of the wire and preventing it from tearing the mattress or similar superposed cushion.

It will be observed that in the structures of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the crimps in the end-coils 11 are downward, but in the modification of Figs. 6 and 7 the crimps 25 are in the same plane as the coils 11, projecting outwardly toward the connecting helicalsprings. In this instance, the wire of the spring at its terminal portion extends over the wire of the end-coil at 26 at one side of thecrimp, then passes over the wire of the end-coil 27 on the opposite side of the crimp.

It then extends across the crimp 25 below the same at 28, being bent upwardly at 29 outside of the part 26 over which it passes, and then projects downwardly at 30 m the crimp of the coil 11 and between the other parts of the wire, as shown.

From a consideration of these different attachments, it will be clear that at each end each connecting helical-spring 13 is bent so as to wrap around some portion of one of the end-coils 11 in such a way that the crimp of the latter prevents relative movement between the two parts, thus preventing not only displacement but also the possibility of the creation of an objectionable noise by the rubbing of the parts one on the other. In-

asmuch as the upright, supporting spiralsprings are connected with one another solely by the elastic helical-springs, they are free to give or compress in accordance with the load imposed upon them without undue disturbance of the neighboring springs, each of the spiral-springs having a limited individual movement so that the spring-structure as a whole possesses marked resilient capabilities and cushioning efiect, without danger of displacement or dislodgment of the main supporting springs of which it is in part composed.

While I have herein depicted three embodiments of the invention it is to be understood that many minor mechanical changes may be made in the structures outlined withoutdeparture from the substance of the invention and without the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

For example, in Fig. 8 I have shown a construction employing flat or zig-zag connecting 5 rings 40 instead of helical springs. In this lnstance, each end of the spring passes around the outer wall of the depression or crimp 12 at 41, then extends-diagonally through the crimp at 42, then around the other upright wall of the crimp at 43 in the reverse direction, then through the depression or crimp at 44: above the portion 42, and then beneath the coil 11 at 45 adjacent to' the part 41. Obviously, the end of the flat spring is securely fastened to the erimped part of the top coil 11 and the ends of the wire are adequately covered and protected.

I claim:

In a spring-structure of the character described, the combination of a plurality of upright spiral-springs having their top-coils crimped at points nearest to their adjacent springs, and short connecting-springs securing said top-coils together at their crimped points, said connecting-springs constituting the sole securing means for said top-coils and having their end portions bent around the wire forming both sides of the crimps and with terminal portions accommodated in the crimps to prevent displacement of the connecting-springs relative to the spiral-springs, substantially as described.

CHARLES H. GAIL. 

